


Ups and Downs

by Salmaka



Category: The Technomancer (Video Game)
Genre: Arguing, Gen, Noctian Culture, Pre-Relationship, Salmaka's Expanded Universe, complicated friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 17:39:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17985692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salmaka/pseuds/Salmaka
Summary: Events can sometimes pick up an interesting and unexpected direction





	1. Ups

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks [WahlBuilder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WahlBuilder/pseuds/WahlBuilder) for helping in creating of this mess of an unexpected friendship Dandolo and Orion have <3

The fights and arguments between Orion, the Chief Mechanic and Dandolo, the Prince of Noctis are almost legendary. They are never happening in the open, but rumours always make their way to the surface. Noctis loves drama and the vying between two important citizens, members of the Council are a promise of some tasty drama.

However, not many people know that both men are not as much of the enemies as one would think. There is this kind of temporary peace between them from time to time.

It started years ago; not long after Dandolo and other Noctians freed the prisoners from the re-habilitation camp. What he saw there made him want to set all of Abundance on fire and take all the poor souls under Noctis’ wings. Show them that life _can_ be better. And feeling this anger he was terrified that he could hurt Niesha. Drove her away from him… He didn’t want to make the same mistake again.

The worries and drowsiness were clouding Dandolo’s mind for days now. Plus, the fact that the Storm season was at its full didn’t help either. He always feels trapped during this time. At least the Carnival was coming, that will help him relax.

However, that was still weeks in future. So, one night he decided to make his way down into the Bat-cave. He had not even known why. Maybe he missed being around sandsails, missed the _ocio_ looking at him from the crimson fabric, maybe he hoped that he will be able to fall asleep while being inside one. Hoping to forget all the worries he had for a moment…

The reason didn’t matter anymore when he descended into the cave and was met with a very awake Chief Mechanic. Dandolo had to be really brain-dead when he forgot that Orion’s primal working hours are during the night.

Orion raised his head from the gondola he was working on and surprised, locked his eyes with Dandolo’s. “Paon? No offence but you look terrible…”

Normally, Dandolo would answer with something witty but that night he just ran a hand over his face. After he did so, something in Orion’s expression changed. The hostility was almost gone and instead, there was a concern. He suddenly looked younger.

When Orion spoke up again, his voice was almost gentle, “You really should lay down, Paon. The sandsails further back are free to use. Or I have a comfortable hammock outside my place.”

Dandolo, looking at Orion, blinked a few times, making sure he wasn’t dreaming all this. He came to the conclusion that all of this was real. “Thank you, Orion.”

The mechanic just hummed and went back to whatever he was doing before Dandolo’s arrival and Dandolo himself looked around the workshop, thinking over his options. The hammock sounded great, but his heart was aching for the cockpit. He missed the tight space smelling after old oiled leather, metal, mole fat and sand.

Shadow, Fran was right, he missed the Plains.

He went to the one on the edge of the space where the beauties were parked. He approached her from the front and as he was walking to the cockpit, he ran his fingers alongside her curves. The plates shielding the pilot from dangers of the Plains were missing, exposing the cockpit. Dandolo sat inside and a smile appeared on his lips. He had to adjust the seat but then it was simply perfect.

Dandolo closed his eyes and listened. He listened to the wind racing through the caves connected to this one, to the sand moving within them. Listened to the storm raging outside. Listened to metal noises coming from Orion’s way… It’s strange but the silence between them somehow wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable as it tends to be, it was almost soothing and welcoming.

Prince didn’t know how much time had passed but the sleep had still not found him. Instead, the little annoying voice started whispering again. Deepening his concerns, fears, …

He groaned and ran both his hands thru his hair.

“Want to talk about it?” Orion’s voice responded to his expression of despair. He sounded way closer than he was before.

Dandolo was genially surprised by Orion’s sudden question. He raised his head to look his way. “Want to listen to me?” The mechanic just huffed as an answer. It wasn’t no. “Who are you and what have you done with m- _our_ Chief Mechanic?” After he said that, he could literally hear the eye-roll it earned him from the other man.

“Just offering, that’s all.” Orion was now standing just a few meters from him, leaning back on one of the sandsails. His tattooed hands crossed over his chest.

The silence again fell between them but Dandolo was considering Orion’s offer. Maybe make his concern be heard will help. And so, he took a deep breath and with his eyes again closed said, “I am personally responsible for the suffering of others…”

“I thought you think that,” Orion said but there was no teasing or mockery in his voice.

Dandolo didn’t know why but it made him laugh. With his mood a bit better, he suddenly realized something. “Where is Cassiopea?”

“Running away from the topic already, Paon?” Orion smiled and now it was Dandolo who eye-rolled. “She’s with Goal. I’m all that can Bat-cave offer you tonight.”

“I was just curious, and I am not running from anything…”

“But you do.”

Dandolo didn’t like how close to the true Orion was. Was he really so easy to be see-through? Or was Orion just really good at reading people? In reading him?

When the silence between stretched, Orion went back to working on his previous project. Dandolo closed his eyes and when he opened them again, the workshop was full of voices and sounds of working mechanics. It was a day shift.

Dandolo wiped his eyes, got out of the cockpit and stretched his long body. Few surprised faces turned his way, but they said nothing. Though, one of the younger men went to him and gave him a folded piece of paper. The paper looked like it was torn off of a bigger piece and it had an oily smudge on the edge.

_If you are in need of a safe place you are welcome here, just don’t take advantage of my invitation  
Orion_

Dandolo read the short note one more time to be sure he wasn’t dreaming anymore, folded it and with a smile put it into his pocket.


	2. Downs

The worst of the Fights between Dandolo and Orion starts innocently.

Since Dandolo brought Melvin down to meet with Orion, the mechanic has been helping him win Melvin’s heart, helping them _both_ realize how stupidly in love they are. And he was doing so by setting up situations where Dandolo looks strong or fearless. And no doubt he is enjoying himself royally while doing so, too because Dandolo hears him chuckle few times.

However, Dandolo didn’t realize what Pipistrello was doing for him until their second visit. And frankly, he is quite embarrassed over how long it took him to notice it because Orion is quite palpable about it, too, that smug bastard. He was just hoping that Melvin hasn’t noticed…

However, Dandolo isn’t the one to let it be alone like that. Orion deserves a little vendetta for his actions. All in the limits of their mischievous friendship, of course.

And so, after another of such situation, while Mel is making friend with Cass, Dandolo stands next to the Orion and jokingly tells him, “If you ever fall in love, I’m going to ‘help’ you, too. Just you wait.”

To his surprise, Orion freezes and with a very menacing voice grunts, “Get out.”

Dandolo doesn’t know what he said wrong. His intentions are not evil in any way, maybe Orion just misunderstood. He looks at him, confused, “What? Why? I wasn’t-”

Orion finally looks into his eyes and clearer and louder repeats, “I said **GET OUT!** ”

The shift of the mood, the hostility is sensible in the air itself. Dandolo opens his mouth to say something but quickly realizes that whatever he’s about to say would make it only worst. So, he goes to Melvin and both men make their way out.

To say that Dandolo has a reckless sleep that night would be understatement. Earning Orion’s respect was hard, took years, and he wants to understand what wrong he did or said to destroy it all in a matter of seconds.

The very next morning Orion’s sister storms into the Palace and slaps him. The sound echoes through the whole Palace. Dandolo is again confused beyond measure but has a feeling he deserves it. He somehow hurt his friend.

Goal is probably (certainly) his only chance to help him understand what went wrong and so he asks her what is going on. Sighing, Goal sits them both down and tells him a short version. That this woman broke Orion’s heart so badly he ventured into the Labyrinth, hoping to never return. He even cut his ring finger and denied himself to fall in love ever again. As he’s listening, Dandolo realizes he heard bits and pieces of this before. Although, he always thought this tragic story is as old as Noctis itself.

After she’s done with the story, she threatens Dandolo to never ever use this information against her little brother. Dandolo, shocked, nods and swears so. Nobody deserves to be mocked about such a thing. He also realizes that Orion’s tragic love story is the reason why he is helping him and Melvin. He probably doesn’t want anybody else to be as heartbroken as he is.

“My little brother is… complicated. Always was. And trust me when I say that he _will_ kill you if you go down to him now.”

“He’s saying this all the time,” Dandolo says as a half-joke.

However, Goal’s voice is all serious when she says, “Now he really means it, _me Doxe._ Don’t push, respect his boundaries and things may clear in time.”

And so Dandolo is waiting and waiting.

Melvin is coming to him more often than not; his company always welcomed. They simply sit next to each other, drink tea and talks. Prince can see how the technomancer is slowly acclimating to being in Noctis, to being free. Every time Dandolo calls him _Corvo_ , Melvin smiles with a smile overshadowing the beauty of Noctis itself. To his delight, Melvin swapped his grey uniform for something more comfortable and Noctian some time ago already. The tunic suits him and is complimenting his features and curves… And he also stopped carrying his staff where ever he goes; he feels safe here. It’s warming Dandolo’s heart to see him like that.

And at the same time, his heart is worrying about Orion. He can’t enjoy Corvo’s presence as much as he would want. His mind always slips to his friend down below. He wants to understand, wants to help, wants to…

_‘I am personally responsible for the suffering of others…’_

= = = = = = = = = =

It has been two weeks and the silence continues. And the Prince, with occasional Melvin’s help, is still trying to come with some solution to this situation. Funny how cards had turned; now it is Melvin who is helping Dandolo with Orion, not Orion helping Dandolo with Melvin. Life is strange.

Considering all his options, Dandolo chooses a bit different approach to win Orion’s ‘friendship’ back. Food and its sharing are very important to him – as to all those who were born in Noctis. And he can send it to him, make a contact, without actually coming down there. And dodging a flying wrench… again.

Finding what Pipistrello’s favourite food is, is a bigger challenge than he thought it will be. But it’s understandable, there are not many people who are close to him. Dandolo could count all of them on the fingers of one hand. So again, Goal is his best and only option to find out more.

It takes a bit of persuasion, but he gets the answer in the end. It isn’t that Goal doesn’t want to help him, but more like she’s finding out if Dandolo really means it. If he really cares for her little brother. And he does, he really does because even over the strange dynamic they have he come to like that grumpy man more than he thought he would.

The very next day, or rather the next night, he sends the first tasty package to Noctis Chief Mechanic. Only to have it return back to him in a matter of minutes. By Dandolo’s calculations the exact number of minutes one needs to get down, have a short talk with Orion (or get yelled at) and get back up.

However, that won’t stop him from sending more and more. Every second or third day he sends something new. Until finally, one day the package doesn’t come back. The same happens the next day and the day after that. His strategy is finally paying off. Or Orion is giving all the food to Cassiopea…

And then one day something very unexpected happens - Dandolo receives a simple box filled with candied oranges.

An invitation.

**Author's Note:**

> It took me like two weeks to finish this and I had half of it basically already written down... Also, it feels it should be 5k words longer than it actually is. In short - it was kinda difficult to write this, it fought me but I was persistent. Hope you liked it ;*


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